Blue Horizon Ventures, a Switzerland-based venture capital fund targeting the food industry, has closed its first fund at €183m ($220m), with limited partners (LP) including fragrance producer Givaudan and bread maker Grupo Bimbo.
Other LPs in Blue Horizon Ventures I include Korys, the family office behind retailer Colruyt Group, as well as European Investment Fund, Wire Group’s Private Markets Funds, Sigma and Be8Ventures.
Founded in 2018 by serial entrepreneurs and investors Roger Lienhard and Michael Kleindl, Blue Horizon invests across technology areas such as alternative proteins, synthetic biology, cultivated food (cellular agriculture), smart packaging and food waste.
The fund’s 16 deals so far include it leading both a $135m round for vegetarian food producer Livekindly Collective in October 2020 and the $55m first tranche of cultured meat developer Mosa Meat’s series B round the month before.
Michael Kleindl, Blue Horizon Ventures’ founding managing partner, said: “The global capital, accelerated by the global covid-19 pandemic is moving towards impact at great speed. This allows more and more entrepreneurs to start their ventures in the food sector. We are delighted to have reached the final close for our first flagship fund.
“The overwhelming interest and final fund size combined with our pace and quality of portfolio building reflect the enormous potential of our investment thesis: Financial performance paired with an attractive risk return profile and tangible impact.”
